Just Shoot Me
by fwuzzfwuzz
Summary: Adam goes to visit his ailing father causing him to be dragged into another insane misadventure. When Flack and Danny are added into the mix, Adam isn’t happy and the outcome is definitely unfavorable


Title: Just Shoot Me

Rating: PG

Characters: Adam, Danny, Flack, Adam's Dad – Small appearances of other characters

Summary: When Adam goes to visit his ailing father he is dragged into another insane misadventure. When Flack and Danny are added into the mix, Adam isn't happy and the outcome is definitely unfavorable.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. This show belongs to CBS. I do own the name though. Though there is a name of a sitcom with the same title. The title just seemed to fit.

* * *

Adam was currently engrossed in some small red fibers with his patented furrow marring his face. Danny was sitting in a stool next to him with his leg tapping the bar of the stool in an impatient manner. Adam was growing increasingly agitated by Danny's silent gestures that yelled "Hurry up!"

Adam's cell ring echoed across the lab startling the focused tech.

Danny groaned in exasperation at the inopportune interruption. His energy uncontained when in a stationary position, he finally got off the stool to pace around.

Adam reluctantly pulled away from his work and gave Danny an apologetic glance. He peered at his phone. The number listed "Unknown" glowed on his screen. He hastily pressed the "end" button and shoved it in his pocket returning to his work.

The silence only lasted a few moments due to Danny's inability to remain inactive.

Danny turned to Adam crossing his arms, "Who was it?"

"I don't know." He mumbled in a desperate attempt to concentrate.

Danny hummed with a skeptical look on his face and silence reigned once more.

Not more than thirty seconds later did the phone once again start to ring. Adam huffed with frustration and jammed his hand into his pocket blindly pressing the "end" button.

Danny smirked slightly and leaned on the counter. Adam stiffened at the sight and attempted to ignore his mischievous colleague.

"Ya sure you don't know them?"

"Pretty sure." He ground out.

"Ex-girlfriend? Your suicide girl wanna hook up again? Come on you can tell me." Danny drawled, his eyes were glittering with amusement.

Adam grabbed the microscope a little tighter than necessary trying to focus but losing his train of thought. He refused to answer the ridiculous questions.

"Oh, Ex-boyfriend perhaps? Am I looking at this from the angle?" Danny raised his eyebrows with an impish grin looking no further from stopping than a stampede of buffalo.

Adam flushed, "I like you better when you're quiet." He mumbled. It was his politest way of saying shut up.

Danny raised his hands in surrender pretending to take a hint, "I get it. I get it. Don't ask don't tell."

Adam rolled his eyes and endeavored to finish the task at hand.

His cell, having none of it, rang once again.

"Gimme." Danny demanded.

Adam looked up to see Danny's open hand, his fingers opening and curling repeatedly, expecting a phone.

"No way!" Adam said indignantly. He grabbed the cell phone and flipped it open and practically jammed the "talk" button in.

"Hello?"

"Adam?" A tentative voice sprang out of the phone with a slight hitch in the straightened and his face softened after recognizing the voice.

"Mom? Is something wrong?"

"Do you have a second, honey?"

"Ah, I was a little busy-," He was interrupted by Danny roughly nudging him away from the microscope. He glared at Danny who then gave him incensed look.

After a short pause or better put a stare-down, Danny gave him a shooing gesture and exaggeratedly mouthed "Too slow."

Danny didn't wait for Adam's reaction placing his eyes on the microscope to take a look at the fibers.

"Adam, are you there?"

"Uh, Yeah – Let me just get in the hallway real quick." He muttered and then stepped out into the unusually quiet hallway revealing a fairly empty lab with its opaque walls.

"Okay, what's up?"

"I'm in New York."

Adam stepped back to the wall; his eyebrows shooting up. "Oh, really, do you need a place to stay?"

"Well, your father is with me." She paused but Adam made no move to speak.

A sudden chill invaded his core and the brightly lit hallway seemed darker and more ominous.

"To tell you the truth he's not feeling all to well."

"Why did he come?" Adam mentally answered his impolite question "_To ridicule how pathetic I am."_

"He's dying." Her words cut the bitter emotions that grasped at the edges of his mind.

He froze at the blunt statement. He leaned against a wall sliding down to the floor. There was a long duration of silence.

"Adam, are you still there?"

"Yeah, wow – Why did he come here? Are you getting treatment here?" Adam was hoping she would say no. Sick or not, if his dad could still speak he could make his life miserable.

"No, you're father wants to make amends on account of the past circumstances." She trailed off tentatively.

Adam made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat.

"I know, I know. It's not very believable but if you could come down here and just give him a chance. There's nothing to lose." She pleaded.

"Except my dignity."

"Adam, please."

There was pause and then a conceding sigh.

"Fine, what's the address?"

* * *

Adam currently stood by the entry way of the small hotel room. There were multiple stains that plagued the brownish, white carpet and several knick and scratches covering the putrid yellow painted walls.

One look at his father and Adam mentally berated himself for his stupidity. He was reminded of the dull burning anger in the depth of his stomach.

"He doesn't look very sick." Adam said through gritted teeth towards his father who was standing next to large a window covered with tacky orange curtains.

The bright sun streaming through the window illuminated the red-faced man and accentuated the dark auburn highlights littered across his mostly gray hair. The good lighting did not compliment the man's weathered features and the sneer encouraged any onlooker to walk quickly away. This was something Adam had every intention of doing.

"Well, wonder boy; thanks for stating the obvious." His father mocked revealing yellow, decaying teeth further depreciating the man's appearance.

Adam could feel his blood pumping up to his face. Whether in embarrassment or anger, he could not tell.

He spared a glance to his mother. The small figure of 5'3" was sitting on the small twin bed covered in equally tacky orange comforter. Her delicate wrinkled hands were held together as she anxiously wrung them. There was a time; he remembered that she seemed larger than life. He realized that she was not as strong as he always pictured her.

He looked at his mother's pleading green eyes with her thin face framed by short white hair. Her tremulous smile revealed their motive to him for there was no other reason for them to contact him.

"What do you want?" Adam asked in a brisk tone skipping any type of pleasantries. His father's face contorted into a doubly ugly expression.

"Why don't you rephrase that question and add some respect in it." His father said, a menacing tone creeping in.

There was a time when that tone left him cowering in a corner. As he entered his adulthood, he knew more than ever that he no longer belonged to his father.

Adam breathed heavily though his nose and narrowed his eyes, "What. Do. You. Want?"

His father took a few steps to him. His father was roughly 6'2" and a muscular build; he used to be a marine but now retired.

His father leaned close to Adam's ear. His hot breath tickling the edges as he whispered, "What did I say?"

Uneasiness crept in his heart but anger roared in Adam's depths.

Adam stared at him in silent mutiny. His father curled his fist and growled whilst punching Adam squarely in the jaw. Adam fell back into the door and tumbled to the floor. He heard a startled yell but raised his hands to signal he was okay. He quickly got back up wiping the blood from his mouth wincing as the rough material of his sleeve burned against his newly gained cut.

He shakily tried to compose himself and his eyes flickered to his father. Adam glared.

"I don't have to deal with this." Adam said with disgust and then he turned around towards the door.

He heard his father snarl and heavy footsteps moving closer causing him to hasten his departure.

"George, no!" he heard his mother scream and made to ignore it until he heard a click that reverberated off the walls.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The voice chilled Adam down to the bone.

He slowly turned around to see his father holding a small handgun pointed at him; cocked and ready to shoot. His mother was stark white. It seems she wasn't totally clear on the details of her husband's plan.

"Now I'm here because me and your mom are a little strapped for cash. I know you have a couple thousand in your savings account and I'd like to take a ride to your bank and for you to give it to us so we can be on our way. Do I make myself clear?" His father said with definite implications behind his words.

There was no delay in the nod that Adam gave as he watched his pitiful life flash before his eyes. The despair that he felt overwhelmed him at the thought of losing the three grand in his bank account. Although, he now could say that the base value of his life was about three thousand dollars.

His father pocketed the gun in his coat pocket and motioned for Adam's mom to stay there. Adam let go of the breath he forgot he was holding and gave a reassuring glance to his mother. She looked on apologetically with tears in her eyes. It hurt more to look at her than took look down the barrel of a gun.

The exited the hotel room to the gravelly parking lot. It was a brisk walk to the pavement and they hailed a taxi cab. The taxi driver had a dark complexion and perceptive eyes that Adam found difficult to look into.

The driver looked into his rearview mirror several times as if suspicious of the two men. Adam briefly entertained the thought of silently miming that his father was going to kill him but the idea went as quickly as it came.

It was a hushed Taxi ride to the bank and Adam didn't dare stare at his father. Attempts made by the driver for conversation was met by a tense silence. When the Taxi reached the location he paid the cab and it seemed like the car could not drive away fast enough.

He turned to see his father, who stood by the black railing attached to a set concrete steps.

The five concrete steps led up to clear spinning doors with immaculate gold borders. The building was several stories high seeming to be made entirely of windows. There appeared to be as many people leaving as there were going in. All looked to be dressed smartly in business attire.

Adam did his best not to drag his feet seeing the growing agitation in his father's face. They entered the brightly lit banking area. There were high vaulted ceilings with simple chandeliers hanging from them. To the left, a maze of grey cubicles stretched across the room. A cacophony of voices rang from the hidden people in the maze.

Straight down several shiny silver elevators opened and closed for the visitors and employees of the building.

To his right was the unpleasant sight of a long line with impatient customers outlined by a rope that caused the line to zigzag. Unfortunately it seemed only four out of the six tellers were open even though there seemed to four or five tellers sitting around in the back just chatting.

Adam sighed and hoped that this would not exacerbate the current situation that he found himself in.

"I have half a mind to blame this on you." His father muttered seeming to be unhappy by the long line. Adam's jaw clenched for a millisecond as he trudged to the end of line.

He spent the time in the line trying to normalize his disposition for fear of causing the teller to think he was a thief. Much to his chagrin, a voice interrupted Adam's nerve-wracking endeavor.

"Well Lookee here; one of the lab rats got away?"

Adam whirled around to see the tall imposing figure of Don Flack right behind him. The man's clean cut brown hair was slightly smoothed back by the dark sunglass pushed up on top his head. He was wearing a nicely pressed grey suit with his gun and badge neatly hidden under the jacket.

Flack was grinning ear to ear but his smile faltered when he saw the bruise forming on Adam's cheek.

"That's quite a shiner. Is Lindsay in one of her moods?" Flack titled his head slightly with one eye squinting as if to show sympathy. The light tone only barely hid the underlying worry as to the cause of the bruise. Flack tended to be more discreet with his questions, whereas Danny didn't have the patience. Adam thanked every higher power that Danny was not the one standing behind them

"Yeah, I guess." Adam said distractedly looking away; his eyes careening to the left to assess his father's demeanor.

Flack frowned and his eyes narrowed with the fine tune suspicion that his vocation nurtured. He scanned his young friend and came to the uneasy conclusion that not all was well. Flack noticed the sweating and the slight shaking that encapsulated Adam's whole body.

Flack dropped a hand on Adams shoulder to reassure the skittish lab rat, only to find him violently flinch.

"Hey, seriously, what's the matter with you?" Flack said his eye narrowing giving Adam a slight shake. Adam blinked rapidly and rubbed his neck.

"I-I," Adam stammered.

"You sure ask a lot of questions for being just his colleague." A gravelly voice interrupted. The voice belonged to Adam's father who licked his lips slowly. He got nose to nose with Flack with a fierce glare.

Flack jerked his head backwards and his nose wrinkling as if he smelt something revolting, "Adam, You know this schmuck?"

"Uh, yeah, sorry; this is my father, George Ross."

"Well, Mr. Ross. I think it would be in your best interest in stepping back." Flack said tilting his head forward and his eyebrows lifted as if pointing to the direction he should go.

George raised his chin in defiance, "I'm not one for taking orders."

"Well, I think for now you should be very interested in taking orders. I assume you don't want any trouble." Flack growled moving the edge of his jacket to show his badge.

George quickly took a few steps back and harrumphed. Adam knew his dad wasn't stupid. He'd be in Jail by now if he didn't know how to manipulate the police correctly.

Thankfully they were saved from an escalating situation.

"Next in line." A soft voice whispered. George straightened and shoulders and then headed toward the young teller. Adam looked like he was struggling with some type of apology but was interrupted.

"C'mon Adam." George ordered and Adam dutifully followed taking on glance back at Flack and giving a sheepish silent goodbye.

Flack headed to another open teller. All his emergency bells were ringing in his head as he started mentally cataloguing Adam's father as a suspect.

"Sir, how can I help you?" A nasally, strong voice interrupted his thought.

"Shh, Shh, One sec." He said waving his hand at her. He watched the tense posture of Adam and the calculating eyes of George. He studied the slight shake in Adam's hand as He wrote something down.

George looked around as if wary of someone watching. Flack flicked his eyes to the counter.

"Sir, there's a long line that's waiting. If you don't have anything I suggest you get out of the line." The voice of the older woman interrupted his thoughts. The unpleasant scratchy voice grated on his last nerve.

"Lady, give me a moment." He muttered, irritated.

The woman sighed loudly. Flacks eyebrows rose when he saw Adam's teller counting a very large amount of money and then placing it in an envelope. There was something definitely fishy here.

"Sir, I'm going to call security if you don't move aside for the other customers."

Flack glared at the woman and flashed his badge; "You call security and I'll make sure they're clear on who they're taking out of here, capiche?" The teller nodded with wide eyes.

Flack looked back at the other teller to see no one there and growled in frustration. He slammed his hand on the counter and walked quickly to the exit doors of the bank looking in several directions, his eyes anxiously combing the New York crowds.

He spotted Adam and George just entering a cab. The two seemed to be in a bit of hurry. There was a desolate expression that flashed on Adam's face further confirming Flack's suspicion. He quickly strode across the street to his parallel parked silver car and began to follow the cab. Mildly frustrated with the 3 cars that separated him from the cab he took out his thin black cell phone for the only reliable back-up he knew.

He dialed the number and got an impatient greeting on the end. It seemed like Danny was a little frustrated with something. He skipped over his greeting and got to the point.

"Hey Danny, got a question for you." There was a pause and Flack rolled his eyes at the smart reply.

"Yeah, Yeah. Do you know anything about Adam's father?"

There a silence and Flack's eyebrows furrowed as Danny evaded his question and accused him of being some type of busybody.

"I don't ask questions just for the heck of it; now do you or do you not?"

Flack continued to follow the cab, now with only one car separating the two. The list of small admissions Adam had made and little observations on Danny's part painted a clear picture.

"Not a nice guy, you say. Well, I agree. This guys a piece of work. Met the skeeve today and I bet you dollars to doughnuts something's goin' down. Did Adam tell you where he was going?"

Flack frowned once again when Danny confirmed that Adam was heading to some shoddy hotel on 42nd street near Grand Central saying that Adam told him right before he left.

"Meet me there."

After the affirming reply, Flack closed his phone and focused on tailing the cab.

After about fifteen minutes they reached their destination and Flack parked into the most discreet part of the parking lot he could find. Flack marveled at the fact that Danny was already there.

Danny leaned against his propped motorcycle with his arms crossed about 10 yards away from the Hotel doorway. He wore white fitted V-neck T-shirt, dark leather jacket, and jeans that were a dark blue and neatly tailored.

Flack strolled to the CSI. The dark sunglasses did nothing to disguise the look of disgust that marred Danny's face. Flack stood next to him and squinted his eyes at the Ross Duo.

"Guy is an ugly dude. Wonder how Adam turned out not looking like a gremlin." Danny muttered as they silently walked side by side there feet crackling across the poorly paved parking lot to the older Mr. Ross.

George turned at the sound of their footsteps and spotted Flack and frowned. His eyes darting suspiciously to Adam

Adam turned to see what his father was staring at and spotted his two friends. A look of shock appeared on his face and he instinctively stepped in front of his father as if anticipating a fight.

Adam seemed to be silently trying to will them away with his eyes and Danny just about laughed at the odd expressions.

"Hey Pal, got a few questions for you." Flack yelled out his long legs clearing the distance between the two. The older Ross clenched his fist at Flack's obstinate tone.

"Well, I'm not too keen on answering them. Let's save me the trouble and you gentlemen back off."

"Adam I though you said your father was dying or something." Danny said crossing his arms and spreading out his legs giving Adam a shrewd look.

Adam shifted his weight anxiously and bit his lip, "Misunderstanding."

"Sounds like an enormous misunderstanding to me. From where I'm standing this guy looks healthy as a horse. Stronger too. Enough to coerce stuff out of you." Flack said pursing his lips and looking George up and down.

"What are you trying to say?" George asked testily.

"I'm saying that no one pulls several thousand dollars outta their bank account with no good reason. I'm thinkin' foul play." Flack said motioning to Adam who was currently looking like he wanted to cry or throw up.

"You're out of your mind. I ain't done nothing wrong." George muttered angrily making to turn around.

"Adam, what's all that money for?" Danny asked with a tone that demanded answers. He was getting tired of Flack's walk around way of interrogating. George shot Adam a warning look but Adam did not see it. He swallowed slowly and looked anywhere but at Danny.

"It's for a boat." Adam said and after a moment of hesitation, "I mean a down payment for a boat."

"You're lying." Danny said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What? Are you a lie detector now?" George questioned shooting Danny a murderous look.

"Nah, I can read Adam like a book. That guy can't hold a secret if his life counted on it. Seems this time his life's counting on his inability to lie."

"Adam's my son and I say he's not lying. You have no business getting into this family affair. I suggest you leave." George said his lip curling in anger.

"Guys, I'm alright. There's nothing going on. You guys can go and- and do whatever. I got it handled." Adam said as he attempted to break up the argument before it got physical.

Both Flack and Danny noted his shaking hands as he gestured the group to calm down.

"That ain't happenin'. Something smells and I'm not likin' it." Danny said looking hard into Adam's eyes. Adam quickly glanced away and made to speak but Flack interrupted.

"Let's take this downtown and get this straightened out. If there really was nothing then you can be on your way. No harm, no foul."

George scoffed, "I'm not obligated to go anywhere with anyone."

"Oh I bet I can get a few things to get you behind bars for at least 24 hours. I'm betting if I match your knuckles with that bruise on Adam's face, I'd get a match." Flack said pointing a long arm at the man's clenched hands.

"And your ugly mug isn't going to get you any special favors from any cops." Danny leered.

Adam watched as each comment caused his father to tense more and more. He sensed that his father was reaching his breaking point and readied himself for the unthinkable.

"That's it." His father mumbled and went to pull his gun out of his pocket. Adam's eyes broadened and he yelled out pushing his father to the ground just as he shot the first bullet.

His arms felt he bullet wheedle through his skin. First it stung, then it burned, and finally it felt like it wasn't there anymore. The numbness was overpowered by the seeping blood that poured out. He felt himself hit the asphalt and the gravel dug into his back. He screamed out and he heard two more shots, praying to God that it wasn't Danny or Flack as the recipients.

He heard yelling coming in and out like bad speakers and worse feedback. It sounded female and hysterical. Smothered male voices were yelling out orders. A soft hand lightly slapped his faces and then something was wrapped tightly and painfully around his upper arm.

He hissed in pain as the impromptu tourniquet was wrapped tightly around his arm and another cloth was pushed against the gaping wound.

"Adam. Adam. Stay with me." Danny's voice echoed as he started to fade and a faint sound of an ambulance could be heard in the background.

* * *

The first thing Adam noticed was that his head was torturing him. His eyebrows furrowed with pain as he silently tried to open his eyes but too bothered by the light. The starchy sheets that were pulled over him irritated his bare legs causing him to shift slightly. He started to wake a little more.

The second thing he noticed that there were an ungodly amount of voices in his room. He knew that somehow not all the voices should not be there. They wouldn't shut up. The voices seemed to be arguing about something.

He groaned and then grabbed a pillow, "Shut up!" He muttered trying to smother himself with the pillow. Maybe he could asphyxiate himself to serene unconsciousness.

Suddenly his whole arm burned and he cried out; quickly placing his arm straight. The dull ache was a painful reminder not to move his arm. His eyes shot open regardless of the light. Only to be met with unfamiliar surroundings. He saw whitewashed walls with ugly violet frames with pictures of flowers in them. There were several machines surrounding him beeping in buzzing in a busy rhythm.

He sat up in a panic and attempted to get out of the bed only to find an arm pushing him back. He looked up to see Danny frowning and pushing him back.

"W-what." He stammered confused and pushing against Danny. Why was Danny holding him captive? His confused mind was coming up with outlandish scenarios.

"Hey, Genius! You got shot, now lie down." Danny said loudly enough that Adam paused in his struggling for a second to process this new information.

The third thing he noticed was that he got shot.

His eyes blinked a few times and examined the room.

Stella was on the opposite side of the bed to Danny looking worried and slightly watery in the eyes. Mac was standing on the foot of the bed looking at him pensively. He looked like he wanted to drill a hole inside Adam's head to figure out what was going on in there.

Lindsay was a few steps away from Danny looking like she was about to rush to help him. Sheldon was by his door helping himself to his chart. Which didn't seem all too legal but Sheldon wasn't one to care with the nonchalant look he seemed to be the most law-abiding citizen there ever was.

He could see Flack outside the door gesticulating wildly with a frown. He looked like he was yelling angrily into the phone or ordering someone around. He heard him yelling but could only catch a few words and none of those words gave way to what the conversation was about.

The final thing he noticed was that he was in a hospital with an inordinate amount of people in his room. He allowed Danny to push him down and with his good arm raised the bed to sitting position feeling a little shocked as his mind reminded him of the earlier events.

Flack's walked in apparently done with his phone conversation and then grinned widely, "Hey, look who finally decided to wake up!" effectively breaking Adam out of his reverie. Adam frowned in confusion still feeling bleary from all the pain medications.

"What are you guy's all doing here?"

"Adam, you were shot." Stella said softly and Adam shook his head resisting the temptation to roll his eyes at the "state the obvious" game his coworkers were playing.

"No, I mean, don't you guys have somewhere to be."

"What are you kicking us out?" Danny exclaimed seeming to be outrage at the thought of being removed from Adam's room.

Adam began to get flustered. His face flushed and he started to wave his good arm while spoke as if it would help him explain better.

"No, I'm just saying that there are still killers out there and I don't understand why y'all are here and not there."

Adam surveyed the reaction to his statement most looking at him like he was absolutely ridiculous. Mac cleared his throat and frowned a little.

"You're a part of the team Adam. You're a vital part that gets these killers off the street. You should be more worried about yourself than the reason we're here." Mac said with a slight raise of his eyebrows and piercing eyes that made Adam feel like child.

"And if we're on that subject" Mac placed his hands on his hips as he's accustomed to do when telling someone off. Adam silently sighed. "I don't want to hear that one of my team recklessly threw himself in front of a bullet. That's stupid and I'd suspend you for reckless endangerment but it seems that you're going to have a few days anyways to think of better ways of preserving your health. I don't want to see you risking your life like that again." Mac said sternly.

Adam nodded his head looking incapable of speaking.

"Okay Mac, leave him alone. I'm sure he's not planning on running in front of bullets anytime soon." Stella said effectively breaking Mac's unsettling gaze. She rubbed Adam's shoulder and gave him a sympathetic smile.

"But c'mon, isn't there something you could've done to let us know there was a gun. I mean a little this or that to give us some type of idea. Someone needs to teach this kid some survival skills" Flack said waving his hands around clearly looking exasperated. He was more upset with himself that he didn't notice the guy had a gun in the first place.

"Don, conversation is really not necessary." Stella said reprovingly not liking the men of their troupe making Adam more uncomfortable than he already was.

"Aww, Stella, give the guy a break. Flack's right. Hey Adam, let me show you how you do it. You just curl you fingers like this while holding your index finger straight out and your thumb straight up. Then point to where it is. Got it?" Danny said patronizingly while grabbing Adam's hand in an attempt to shape it like a gun.

Adam pulled his hand away glaring. Lindsay slapped Danny on the shoulder.

"Danny, leave him alone!" Lindsay yelled while trying to suppress a smile. Danny feigned hurt and Adam cracked his first smile of the morning but then quickly sobered.

There was a question that had lingered on his mind since he realized he was in the hospital and it needed to be asked.

"Where are my mom and dad?"

There was a silence and some shuffling of feet. Danny gave him an apologetic glance.

Danny cleared his throat, "I shot the goon in the legs. Getting some treatment and then into the slammer he goes" Danny half cheered.

"Ever the trigger finger." Flack muttered and Danny shot him a look.

"Oh, that's good – um what about my mom?" Adam asked already knowing the answer in a way. He just needed confirmation.

The tense silence confirmed it.

"Oh, okay. I get it. She's with him." He nodded knowingly his heart dropping into his stomach as he was once again confronted to where his mother's allegiances lied.

"Adam, I'm sorry." Stella said looking upset and angry at the woman who should've held the instinct to protect her young. Stella always felt a motherly pull to the young tech and rubbed his arm gently once more.

"No, no, I get it. It's always been him first and me second. I understand." He said softly causing a mixture of emotion to pass by the team. They all seemed upset at this statement. Some just realized that Adam did not grow up in the best environment.

"It's not fair. You deserve better." Danny said just about to start a self-righteous tirade. Flack cut him off.

"We know that but they don't. We'll just leave it that. You alright there?" Flack asked and gave him a once over. Adam couldn't discern if he meant emotionally or physically.

"No, but I'll get there. I always do." He gave a weak smile.

Suddenly there was clatter and they saw Hawke's swiftly putting the chart back in the tray. He motioned for them to get out quickly mouthing that a nurse was coming. Obviously Sheldon was the lookout.

Stella game him a quick peck on the cheek and rushed out with Mac who waved as he made quick strides out the door.

Danny looked like he was making to stay but Lindsay grabbed his arm with an annoyed look on her face.

"Come on Danny; they won't let us back in if they catch us here. See you Adam!" She waved cheerily.

"Aww, Montana – your no fun." Danny whined allowing himself to be pulled away while winking at Adam.

Flack was holding the door and saluted Adam while leisurely walking out. Adam quickly feigned sleep but saw under the slits of his eye a harried nurse bustling around muttering about people not following the rules.

Adam thought he would give a lesson of stealth to Danny to repay him for his signaling lecture.

* * *

Thanks for reading. Please R&R. I like talking to other Adam fans! :)


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